Nominalized Clause

Definition

A nominalized clause is an embedded clause that can serve as a nominal adjunct. (Suttles, 2003, p. 95) It is one of many types of subordinate clauses and can function as a complement clause and an adverbial clause. (Jacobs, 2013, p. 1) In Halkomelem, these clauses are formed by prefixing s- ‘nominalizer’ to the first word of a predicate. Nominalized clauses can appear within predicates, and they can appear as direct nominal adjuncts, as oblique nominal adjuncts, and as narrative sentences. (Suttles, 2003, pp. 128-129)

In Skwxwu7mesh, nominalized clauses usually have /kwi/, an indefinite determiner, as the initial constitute. The first word following /kwi/ is nominalized with the nominalizer /s-/ (similar to Halkomelem), regardless of whether this word is the main predicate or an aspectual clitic. (Jacobs, 2013, p. 23)

Examples

sk̓ʷéy        k̓ʷə      [nə-s-ném̓] impossible      ART          my-NOM-go ‘I can’t go.’ → (lit. [My going] is impossible.’)

References

Jacobs, P. W. (2013). Subordinate clauses in Skwxwu7mesh: Their form and function. Northwest Journal of Linguistics, 7(2), 1-54.

Suttles, W. (2004). Musqueum reference grammar. UBC Press. SFU Student Access.